Light At the end of the Tunnel
by LokisPrincess94
Summary: AU - Loki as a child who makes a new friend. They have fun at the Asgardian palace.
1. Chapter 1

A small little girl, relatively no older than eight, with silver blond hair glimmering in her prance to wherever her feet shall take her, masking in the delight of her run. Overcome with joy, she could not suppress the fit of giggles that escaped her small pink lips, showing offset of wonderfully straight white teeth. Her crystal blue eyes shimmered and glowed in the transient glow of the sun setting.

The soft padding of her feet carried her farther and faster than she's ever gone. It wasn't until she collided with a large ornate gold building. Curiosity-driven, she stepped within the fortress. Her young blue eyes scanned the large opening, taking in the shelves upon shelves of books. She had run all the way to Asgard's Royal Library.

Taken aback by awe, she hesitantly steps within, she smiles then hops around. Graceful in every step as her long dress, dark blue to her liking, her play dress, bounced up to her knees with every hopping step.

The library went on forever it seemed, tombs of leather-bound books sorted neatly in their respected shelves. Oh, how those tiny fingers of hers just wanted to touch them, but she restrained herself. A lone, small, figure catching her eye in the distance had her hopping slowly and hesitantly towards the little boy.

He had dark, perfectly slicked back, hair, and impossibly pale skin. His features seemed ghostly and transparent as he studied his large book. His deft small fingers, slim surprisingly for a boy of his age, skimmed over the pages as he read. A scowl set upon his features, such an unordinary look upon the boy, but his eyes spoke wonders. All the new knowledge cramming into his head, and it was there at his disposal, she could relate to that.

Taking hesitant steps forward, she opted to grab for his book, but thought better of it, she hadn't seen the boy before, yet again she hadn't ever been to the library, so instead, she grabbed for a book that was sitting beside him unopened. As soon as she reached for the book, the boy snapped out of his reverie and glanced at her speculatively.

She smiled at his hesitance and merely waved off his expression as she nudged the book closer to her to effortlessly pick up and place in her arms. The boy didn't stop staring at her, not even as she took the seat opposite him, a stack of books neatly placed under her to ensure that she wouldn't topple over. She smiled at him again, and opened the large ornate book, finding that it was a book of spells, basics from what she could read.

She could feel the boy's scrutiny but thought better than to pester him about it or make him feel embarrassed by her watchful eyes. After what seemed forever, the boy finally snapped out of his trance and went back to reading, but couldn't get himself to actually retain the information, rather speculate about the young girl in front of him. She smiled inwardly to herself when he had let go whatever thoughts he had on her first appearance.

Suddenly the girl clamped the book close, standing up and handing the book back to the boy, smiling down at him. He timidly took it, his face placid, yet she could see the hesitance in his eyes, he had no idea what was going on, but neither did she. She was merely sitting in his company, and she enjoyed it oddly enough. She could care less about the book, she had no desire to learn sorcery, but as such, the boy had provided a good text nonetheless and she was happy to have finally finished her mindless reading.

The boy still didn't give anything away as the girl smiled at him once again, showing off her white teeth and then hopped off and away from him. Her fit of giggles could be heard from far away, even as she passed the threshold of the library. The young boy stared in wonder at the girl who had dared be in his presence and was currently fighting an inward battle at how to gauge his reaction towards her. He, for the life of the little boy, could not figure out what to think of her.

Her boldness had done its job and left the boy perplexed by her actions. She continued her running as soon as she was out of sight from the library, and she picked up full speed back towards her home on the other side of the palace. She easily fit through small cracks and people in the market, running straight, and taking an abrupt right when she reached the palace walls. Hearing the rush of the water beyond the gold statue that shrouded the royal family from the rest of Asgard, she wafted the smell of the fresh pure water beyond. Taking off running again through a shortcut through the grass she finally made it to her section of the noble class homes, taking a left towards the end of the stone street.

Too soon, she thought, as she stopped her quick run in front of her home. It was a simple noble home, just the same as every other one on the same street, she sighed heavily before perusing onward. Inside the home was a large open entryway, covered from floor to ceiling in perfectly chiseled white stone, with wood carvings on the floor and ceiling. It was plain, to say the least, especially for the girls taste, her room was far more entertaining to her desires.

To her left was her living room, mostly where her parents would speak of Asgard, sharing gossip from other nobles, down to the royal's personal life. She never delved into any of it, finding it evasive to a personal life, she felt she would hate it if she were talked of the same way as other nobles, her parents included, about someone else's life.

She let that pass, noticing a small package on the stairs to her right, cutting off the view of her parents who were currently in the kitchen mulling over the nightly meal. She pranced over towards the package with great care, not wanting to make her parents aware of her presence quite yet. On top of the package, in neat handwriting were a few simple words, short and to the point.

Yes, she had forgotten, her father was off at war, and this was his parish, ready to be sent to him through the Bifrost, to Midgard. Though his reasons for being there was unannounced, and surely after being summoned by the High Counsel meant big business was being left in "capable hands". She could only chortle out her disgust, even so young, she had strong opinions about the world she lived in, and even so young, she was very intelligent. She wasn't the top of her class for no reason.

She thought of the boy in the library, though, she hadn't ever seen him in school, let alone anywhere else. She wondered who he was; surely someone of his handsome features would've been noticed by now, especially with all the naughty girls she attended school with.

Again, she couldn't suppress her irritation. She didn't like the girls she went to school with, they were all the same, drooling over the boys, and daydreaming about the princes of Asgard. Thor and Loki were not to be trifled with, from what she had heard. Many students told the stories of how the younger prince would get into mischief, they feared for their lives at times. He was a sorcerer and a good one at that. Though she hadn't ever seen him or met him before, she was sure that he wouldn't be that bad in person.

She ignored the package, stepping up the stairs with panther-like grace to be unheard by her mother, only to slam the door to her room to finally signify that she was home, but to be left alone. Her mother pried her for everything she did, wanting every detail of her, for the most part, dull life. However, there was a boundary that was made, and she was to be left alone in her rooms when the door had been slammed.

Inside her room was much different than the white walls and floors, and wood carvings. Instead, her room was decorated with much more lively colors, ranging from blues to greens, and even some pinks and lavenders. Her floors were splattered with dried up paint from her investigations in art a few years back when she was only 5 cycles. The headboard of her bed was painted on with handprints and smears, some out of frustration, others out of pure artistic ability. Her walls were just the same, though these marks were bigger, due to using her whole body to wash over these white walls. Her desk was the messiest, caked in paint, of all different colors, covered with parchment and quills when she would write personal entries, drawing pictures and attempting to put on paper what her mind created.

Her room wasn't that large, but it fits everything perfectly, leaving room for her to dance when she pleased, even if it was just her twirling in circles. Her bed sat in the middle against the farthest wall from her door, next to it was a decorated table that had a small candle next to it. A gift from her grandmother, an everlasting flame, and one that would not drip, no matter how long it was kept on, it was her most prized possession. On the opposite wall to her door, was a window, covered in a thin sheet that swayed in the wind, it covered for any sightseers from the outside to see anything private, but yet still allowed her to look upon everything that she could see. Her desk was opposite her bed, and her dresser, in the same fashion as her bed, sat to the left of the desk.

Her gaze fell to look out the window once again, and she was taken aback by the beauty that it was her view. She loved this; she could see the Queens gardens, though not fully, she could easily see the simple and exotic flowers that pooled the ground, covering it in a vast array of colors. Most of which she had used as inspiration for her room; this had to be the best part of her room.

A light knock brought her back from her peaceful gaze and turned hard as she realized that her mother was here to round her up for dinner. She sighed heavily then composed herself to face her mother, opening it with great care as not to scare her.

Her mother was a slim figure, with little muscles to account for. Her silver blond hair to match her daughters was pulled up into a high braided bun. Her high cheekbones and large dark blue eyes made her seem almost hallow. Her pink lips curled into a smile her eyes soft and warm, motioning for her to follow her downstairs for dinner. She smiled up at her mother and followed her down the steps, avoiding the package sitting at the bottom.

Taking a left into the dining room, which was right of the door, she sat at the end of the table. This is where her father normally sat, which was forbidden for her, but when he would be away for some time, her mother wouldn't say anything to her intrusion. In reality, she just did it to pester her father, silently of course. She never defiled her father in his presence, but he was a hard man to love, so their brief interactions were always from a distance. Enjoying each other's company in the house is all she could muster; staying lock up in her room every night to endeavor in some other scheme her imagination could wind up.

Meat platters were placed in front of her by some of the maids that worked the house, though small, they had two. One was friendlier than the other, she was the one that cleaned the house with my mother, she took extra care when in my bedroom, only sweeping and dusting in certain areas. Her name was Gretel, her soft features, tanned skin, long deft fingers, and impossibly green eyes glowed, and she would always give her a soft smile anytime she saw her. Though now, she seemed reserved, and her smile wasn't as soft, but a forced tight smile.

The other was less nice than Gretel. Her name was Elma. Her blond hair tightly pulled into a bun, not a single strand of hair was pulled out of place, and her old features were forced into a grim stature. She was not to be trifled with and was ever prudent that the only daughter is sent away to the royal academy for her rebellious ways. She scowled at the woman from behind her back as she walked back into the kitchen to retrieve more food that was prepared for them.

Quickly, she reached over to grab the end of the meat platter to grab ahold of the fat, but a hand swatted at her before her tiny fingers could wrap around it. She quickly looked up to see Elma giving her a hard glare, but didn't press any further for her misdemeanor. Something was amiss, but she wouldn't find out until later, her family hardly shared anything with her.

Her mother entered the dining room once again and sat in her usual place at the other end. She nodded towards the maids and they both left the room swiftly, attending to their matters from before. She watched her mother with trepidation, she seemed distracted and distraught, not a familiar feature for her mother. She let it pass, if it was truly important she would tell her, and all she was after was the end meat on the platter, hopefully, to stow away and pelt Elma with it later.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a far cry, but she would try again. She approached the large library, though with less hesitation than yesterday, and filed in behind many officials and nobles who perused the libraries extensive selection. She, however, was not going to read, she was in search of the lone boy from before.

She followed the same path as before, her teal dress flowing and bouncing with every step she took. Her long silver blond hair was curled, bouncing along with her prance. She smiled up at all the tall shelves, the books that crowded them, some untouched covered in dust, and others worn. Some were new and the smell of leather strong in the air. Again, she went back to her skipping, finding the same space where the boy had been before. It was the same time of day as yesterday, after having a tryst with Elma about the fact that seemingly happened to come in her grace late that night, flying right on top of her head, pulled her away from getting there any sooner.

However, the boy was there, pouring into some of the same books, along with new ones scattered all around him. She slowed her skip until she was standing right next to him. He looked up slowly until his green eyes met hers; he seemed shocked to find her there, again. She smiled down at him, taking in his childish features. His dark hair was kept in the same manner, and his dark green tunic and leather pants gave him a devilish look.

He looked away and looked down at his books until he grabbed one and then looked back up to her, handing the book in his hand to her. She had no intention to read it, but if he wanted her to, then she would peruse it while being in his company. Unlike the other boys, he was quiet and not prying her from her name or social status. Of course, by now, they all knew who she was, and they were taken aback by her young beauty, yet she would have none of it.

He seemed almost shy about her presence, but he didn't protest to having her there. She smiled inwardly to herself as she graciously took the tomb and sat across from him like before.

The book he had handed her was an ancient tomb of sorcery, of course, none of her immediate interest, yet surprisingly the book was more lightweight on the information, and she could easily read the text, comprehending some of it to her surprise. She felt the heat from his gaze again from the top of her head, she didn't dare look up, only allow the boy to stare at her intently. He didn't say anything, didn't move or gesture to wanting to strike up a conversation, so instead, he went back to his reading.

I smiled inwardly, knowing that he's accepted my company, and went back to enjoying the book he had graciously given to me.

Soon it was late in the afternoon, the sun setting in the distance causing long shadows to cascade through the large openings above. The boy had not moved from his spot, flipping through the book and studying each page he came to with great detail.

She also did not move, for fear that he would get up and leave if she did, and even so, she couldn't get herself to do that. But she knew she would have to be home before night would fall, and she had very little time now. Begrudgingly she stood up slowly as not to startle the boy, but his head had risen a little at her movement. She walked towards him and handed him back the book, smiling down at him when he eventually took it. His expression was one of surprise and almost hurt.

She could only smile at him as she walked away, bouncing and skipping through the halls and rows of books, leaving him bewildered once again.

Once home, her mother had quickly scorned her for not being home sooner, but she easily put that aside as they talked wistfully through dinner, her misdemeanor forgotten. Once she was in the safety and privacy of her rooms, she glanced over to the window. She drew the chair from her desk and sat it in front of it, pulling the curtains aside a little to get a better view of the garden.

Down below, even in the late of night, she could still see the flowers, glowing and blowing around in the wind. It was cooler tonight, unlike most other nights, but it was a comforting feeling. Unlike the rest of the year, Asgard was usually quite hot, bathed in a never-ending sun. She cherished these nights when it would cool down bearable enough. She sighed to herself, letting her head fall onto her arms which rested on the windowsill.

Through the thickly forested flowers, she could see movement between the swaying leaves. Below, she could see a slim figure, her blond hair cascading elegantly behind her back, her dress hugging her slim form. Around her waist, she could see an arm wrapped around her leg, pale, in comparison to her dress. It was not her own, this one was much smaller, such as a child's.

She peered closer, wanting a better view, but it was cut off, she couldn't see the other figures that were dancing and prancing around her. But she knew, it was the Queen and her sons. She overheard her mother speak to her father about the many afternoons and nights that the Queen would allow her children to run freely through her garden. How they didn't have to act like princes, just be children for once.

She sighed to herself once more and left the window to crawl into bed, falling quickly asleep, dreaming of the dark-haired boy from the library and prancing through gardens of large flowers and sunshine.

* * *

The early morning ritual was faced with the same smug and grim composure. She was facing away from Elma as she was forcibly washed from head to toe. She hated to be washed; she would rather do it herself knowing that she had to stand in front of such a woman as Elma. She bore through it though, knowing that she would be able to escape later that evening back to the library. Her mother, once again, was out in the market, conversing and sharing secrets, buying necessary foods and other items. Today, she was free to do as she pleased, fully, without any scolding from her mother.

Today was also the last day of her break, her private schooling would start up again, and she would be forced to attend, along with other mindless children, learning the aspects of Asgard, and the places that it ruled.

"Arms up," Elma ordered, and so she lifted her arms up as high as she would allow them to go, and Elma poured the hot water all down her back, the hot sting soothing her muscles, but also paining her to yelp in surprise. Elma always heated the water too much, it was the sign of her hate, and the desire to burn her was a pleasurable feeling for Elma.

Once dressed in a pink dress, she was free to play, as long as she stayed clean. She wanted, like so many other times, to go out into the start of the forest and play with the mud, but thought against it. She wondered if the boy was there all day, or if he was somewhere else while she was away. She knew there was only one way to find out!

She easily pranced down the stone walkway, taking her time and leisurely looked about. Everything about Asgard was beautiful, immaculate, and over the top. The gold buildings lined up perfectly against the high mountains. Fountains of water poured down into the never-ending sea. It was perfect, a sight she would cherish forever, life on Asgard, though insufferable from nobility, was awe-inspiring.

She was met with the familiar ornate building of the library, though now it seemed more filled with people scurrying about, talking animatedly from person to person. She didn't know many of these people, have not been to an event or party, since she was far too young, but they ignored her just as easily as she was, and skipped right in.

She bounced to the normal area where the boy usually was, though this time, space was empty and cleared out. She wondered if it was like this when he came before she did, and deliberately placed the stack of books for her to sit for the second time she joined him. Did he expect her? She thought to herself. How odd.

She stood in the empty space for some time, looking about, waiting to see the dark-haired boy return, but then again, it was fairly early. She wondered if he wouldn't come today since the school was to start up in the morning, she wondered if he would come at all, or even anymore.

"Hey, what are you doing?" a young voice spoke, and she thought it would be the boy, but when she turned around, it was a young man from her class. A bully, that terrorized her the first day of school by pushing her to the ground laughing as he ran away. His blond hair was long and matted, framing his face awkwardly. His blue eyes typical of that of an Asgardian, and though he did look handsome, his character could speak out against that.

"I'm just looking around, Amund," she scowled at him.

"Seems like you're looking for someone, might I ask whom?" He stepped a little closer to her, she took as many steps back.

"I just told you I'm looking around; can't you just leave me alone?" Her voice was pleading, losing its temper. He scoffed at her and quickly stepped closer to her.

"No, I find that you are irresistible," he spoke, his young voice betraying his words. She could only laugh at him. He didn't seem to understand her reaction and stood there oddly.

"Go back to your mother, I think she would find that line more appealing," she laughed again, but that got him angry. He charged after she and she squealed at his advance, backing away as quickly as she could until he stopped. At first, it made him angry even more, but then he started to squirm. He really couldn't move, stuck frozen in his stance. He struggled more, reaching out towards her, but she took a few more steps back. "What are you doing? Stop it you freak!"

"I'm not doing anything! I swear!" she gasped, his cries for help were being ignored by the rest of the library, and she didn't know what was happening. A tear ran down her eye as she watched him struggle, going from confused to enraged in a few seconds until he was fuming. Then a figure approached them from behind Amund. His dark hair was impossible not to figure out was the boy who sat in this spot. His hand was pointing towards Amund, his lips silently mouthing out an incantation.

"I swear, if you are doing this, I won't hesitate to make your life miserable!" Amund shouted at her, flinching at his harsh words she slumped to the ground and couldn't help but let the tears fall. She watched as the boy approached Amund before he swiftly moved his hands to the side, throwing Amund towards a bookshelf. He slammed into it hard, landing on the ground with a thump. He stood slowly, glowering at her, but shaking his knees.

"I didn't do it, I swear!" she was able to choke out, but this only made him angrier.

"You little-" he was cut off half-sentence as he began charging again when he was thrown even farther away, out into the mess of people down at the very end of the rows. He didn't return, instead, he left the library altogether, but she knew she would pay for that tomorrow.

Suddenly the boy was in front of her, his hand outstretched for her to take. She stared at his palm, not knowing what exactly to do, but to her better judgment, she simply looked away, instead she stared at her hands. The boy huffed, and knelt in front of her, his green eyes serious.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said, his voice a melodic tune. She smiled, for some reason, hearing his voice was much better than just looking at him. He seemed puzzled for a moment, gauging her reaction with trepidation.

"Thank you," she whispered hoarsely. He seemed as equally shocked at her words. She wiped away her fallen tears, crying left forgotten as she stared into his glowing green eyes.

"Are you okay?" He finally spoke, careful and resistant. She giggled, a small smile playing on his lips, he reached his hand out, and without hesitation she took it.

"Yes, I am now. He doesn't exactly like me very much," she admitted. He was about her height, she noticed, though a little taller in some respects. His boots must've given him some form of height, being quite smaller built than other Asgardian boys.

"I would say otherwise, though his comment wasn't that respectful," his brows furrowed.

"He's teasing, he doesn't know any better," she giggled again. "Maybe now he'll leave me alone tomorrow when school starts." He seemed pleased by this. "I'm Sara."

"Loki," he said curtly, but a small smile was still there. She almost yelped from the name, for she knew it from the many times her mother would speak about the princes of Asgard. He stood back a step, noticing her sudden posture change, eyes wide with shock.

"You're the prince," it wasn't a question, her voice just above a whisper. She instantly dropped to one knee and places her right fist over her heart, bowing her head. "I'm terribly sorry; I didn't mean to intrude on your private studies." Her whole face was blushing crimson at the sudden realization, feeling beyond embarrassed and suddenly very self-conscious.

"Please, stand," he said calmly, she rose slowly, meeting his gaze. He seemed amused by her reaction, but wouldn't show it otherwise.

"Thank you for saving me, but I must be heading back," she said in a rush, wanting to get away, but he stopped her, standing in her way.

"Please, you don't have to go. I want your company," he said, his expression one of worry. For a second she thought of declining him, not wanting to embarrass her further, but she supposed there wouldn't be any harm in sitting in the younger princes company. In fact, she enjoyed being in his company, even though he was just reading.

"Okay, I won't go," she spoke hesitantly but stepped away from him enough to see him fully. Today he was in a darker green tunic, and the same leather pants and boots, his hair was as per usual greased back to show off his perfectly boyish face. He smiled at her, a sincere smile that warmed her heart.

"Good," he said. "Do you enjoy magic?"

"Not really, it wasn't anything that interests me too much. Though the book you gave me yesterday was informative," she lightened at the end when she saw his face drop.

"Then why did you read it?" He spoke, his voice showing his hurt.

"Because you were, I didn't come here to read. I just happened to come across this place. It's very beautiful," she smiled, looking around the area. They were standing in a conjunction of many shelves, a large area, with the tiled stone beneath them in an intricate pattern.

"It is, and it is also quiet," he spoke softly. She met his gaze and saw that he was mildly interested in her. She blushed under his gaze and went back to walking around, gazing down the row where Amund was flown through, but she was happy and relieved that he was gone.

"We can go get your books so you can study again if you'd like," she approached him again.

"Okay," he sounded almost sad. She ignored it, smiling at him and then following him to the section of books in the back. She hadn't been back there, regretting it as soon as she stepped into the aisle behind him. The first thing she noticed that it was considerably cooler back here, no sun reached this part, only the shadows of the light from the end of the row. She shivered, hugging herself before realizing she was a few paces behind Loki. She quickly ran to stand behind him, he seemed to know where he was going, and soon he stopped in front of a shelf and pulled out some books. These ones were dusty, new ones for him to explore, he seemed pleased with his findings, then glanced over at Sara. Her teeth were chattering slightly from the sudden drop in temperature and wondered why he wasn't feeling the same. He shook his head and then grabbed a few more books then motioned for her to leave the aisle. She seemed more than pleased to buy her fast pace to the end and then sighing inwardly as soon as the sun touched her skin.

They made their way back to the large opening, setting down the books as before, and then he rushed over to another section and pulled down more books. He set them in a stack, a seat as before, for Sara. He motioned for her to sit and did as he bid. She watched him move with easy grace for some more books, and then made his own seat, and sat down on top then reached for the nearest book in his stack, which was just as tall as his own seat, and opened the first book, skimming through it quickly, then closing it.

"What classes are you taking in school?" he asked suddenly.

"Oh- I um… I'm taking art classes, including everything else that is required," she was a little shocked, but he was pleased with her answer.

"What kind of art?" He seemed a little bored almost.

"I paint," she answered short and to the point.

"Have you painted on any of the canvases?" This was tricky. Of course, she had painted on the canvases at school, but she was sure he was referring to the more prominent artists that had their show on the market. Her's were for school, and none great enough to be presented in such a tough market.

"At school, yes, but none of it has made it to the market," she admitted, her face dropping slightly.

"I'd like to see your artwork sometime if you wouldn't mind showing me," he offered, his voice light.

"If you want to," she smiled sheepishly at him, but his brows furrowed slightly. "I mean, of course, I want you to see my work! Nobody has really asked me that, I'm sorry if it offended you." She apologized.

"Would you prefer me not to?" He asked his voice sullen.

"I don't mind," she wished that she could get ahold of her wits, he was just a boy, and yesterday if she hadn't known who he was, would be striking up a lovely conversation with him. His brows furrowed even more, but she smiled reassuringly at him.

"Do you like to read?" he asked. He changed the topic quickly, to save further embarrassment on her part, which she was greatly thankful for.

"All sorts, though not sorcery. Not even war stories! They're all the same, the boy fights, wins the girl, over and over. I enjoy the ones of nature, and of artists, there are few of those here though, I've noticed," she babbled.

"My brother prefers the war stories, he always asks my father to tell him of them at dinner. I stick with sorcery, it suits me better," Loki admitted. She smiled, lightening his mood somewhat.

"You must really enjoy it, your magic?" She breathed, wonder laced in her words. She could see a faint blush paint his pale cheeks.

"Yes, I do. Can you perform any spells?" He asks, his green eyes lighting up with hope.

"None that I've attempted," she laughed, shrugging.

"Would you like to try, I have an easy spell you could work on," his eyes lit up even more, and she could only stare at his eagerness. She nodded and stood slowly as he bounced on his heels over to her. "Give me your hands," he ordered, she held out her hand as she was instructed, palm up. He placed his hands on her, cupping her small fingers carefully, the slim cool feeling of his soft fingers splayed under hers. In an instant, she felt a tingle flow through her palms, and she yelped a little when a small flame formed just above her hands. She wanted to take her hand away, in fear of being burned, but she didn't, she only stared in wonder.

"Wow," she breathed, the glow of the fire igniting her eyes.

"Beautiful," she heard Loki breath under his breath. She looked up to see him staring intently into the flame, wonder etched on his face.

"It is," she added, and soon the flame flicked away, leaving behind smoke that rose into the air.

"Did you feel it? The fire?" He asked.

"I did, it was strange at first, but it felt like it was humming against my skin," she rubbed her hands together, remembering the faint feeling that was still running through her palms. "How did you do that?"

"You have the energy for it, I just channeled it the way it was supposed to," he commented as if she was supposed to know it.

"So you can produce fire, and control boys. You seem to be very talented," she smiled at him, and he smiled back at her.

"Will you be here tomorrow?" He asked his voice hopeful again.

"If you want me to, but it probably won't be until later. I get home from school late in the afternoon," her head drooped a little.

"You could join me for dinner tomorrow," he inquired, but she instantly took a few steps back shyly.

"Um, I really couldn't impose. Your family seems-"

"They will not mind, you will be a guest!" He smiled, and she couldn't honestly say no to that face. She giggled at his excitement, and she nodded her head nervously, but he smiled even brighter. "You will meet me here tomorrow, and I'll take you to the palace!"

"Okay," she nodded sheepishly again and smiled at him. "Well, I know you aren't done the reading, you went to all that trouble getting the books, lets at least give you a moment to look them over."

"I've read those, many times over. I have them memorized, I just get them from time to time to brush up, but I would rather us go somewhere else," his smile turned into a smirk.

"What did you have in mind?" She didn't want to be further rude to the young prince.

"Follow me," he ordered, she followed closely behind him and then stopping short.

"What about the books?" She glanced back at the set of tomes that still perched in a stack.

"Someone will take care of it. Come on!" And so she skipped alongside him, watching the back of his head. He turned, and he was smiling as they both walked out of the library, not noticing the strange looks that the nobles gave them as they marched out on a mission.

He turned around at some point, his face admiring her appreciation as she followed closely behind, he could only smile to himself. He began picking up his pace, running eventually but she kept up easily, running with ease, her feet padding on the ground. She enjoyed this and began laughing, her fit of giggles escaping, and reaching over to Loki, who began laughing as well.

The laughter and enjoyment on his face seemed so fitting, yet so foreign to the young prince, but he couldn't help himself, he was enjoying her laughter. Once they were far from the library, taking a left, they ran straight, the path thinning into a single block, and then it eventually turned into dirt. She enjoyed the feeling of it as it ran between her toes; the squish between her feet caused her to laugh even harder. Pure bliss.

"Not much farther, just through here," Loki told her, finally turning around slightly to grab her hand and pull her through the brush. Once through, he didn't let go of her hand, but clasped onto it, continuing his running, and she right behind. She seemed almost nervous, Loki could feel her aura sending that off, but he just squeezed her hand in reassurance, he wouldn't let anything happen to her.

They turned slightly to the right, the sound of a creek in the distance, the furling of trees and green plants sticking out of the ground, growing thicker as they ran farther into the forest. This was an area that she hadn't ever been, and feared to step foot even near this area, but the farther she went, the more she seemed to be at ease. This was her nature, this was a beauty to her eyes, and she watched in awe as the brush above them began to thicken, shrouding them from the impending light from the sun.

There was another thick amount of brush ahead of them, hiding whatever mysteries lie behind it. Loki stopped right before the brush began, a large wall now standing in front of them. She stood and tried to catch her breath, a smile plastered on her face as she gazed up at it in wonder.

"What's this supposed to be?" she asked, reaching her hand out to touch it, but Loki grabbed her hand before it touched the leaves.

"Don't touch it, there's only one way to get in there," Loki warned her, taking her hand in his and giving it a reassuring squeeze. She blushed but didn't look over at him, not until he tugged her closer to him. "You can only get in by magic. I've bewitched the hedge if you touch it; it will pull you into its fortress and hold you there until I come for you. Animals get caught in here all the time; I've fixed it so it only affects someone." He held her hand more tightly, and then he grabbed for the other, and turned both hands palm up and placed his hands on hers like before. She felt the familiar heat run through her palms and then the fire sparked to life. She gasped in wonder once again, but soon his hands slowly left from under hers. She looked up at him worriedly, but he only smiled at her, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Place your hands near the hedge." He ordered softly. She hesitantly moved her hands near the hedge, and before she knew it, the hedge began to move away from the fire, suddenly, it shuddered and it parted before her, the rush of wind coming from behind extinguishing the fire in her palms. She jumped back as the hedge parted further until a person could walk through.

A haze, fog, poured through the opening, and she was hesitant to walk through, but Loki grabbed onto her trembling hands and then led her into the haze, through the opening. What was behind, she couldn't even put into words.


	3. Chapter 3

He watched her carefully, seeing as her whole world came to a standstill. He was proud, watching her amazement, a slew of different emotions washing over her face. He couldn't help the smile form on his face, watching as her blue eyes sparkled. They were a different color blue, from the other girls he had seen in Asgard, her's were especially different to Loki.

"Loki, this is amazing! How did you find this place?" She stepped forward slowly, unlacing her fingers from his hands.

"It was of no consequence, I have a small view of it from my room," he told her, she turned around and smiled at him. Then her face fell as she looked out at the scenery.

"Why would you show this to me?" Her voice was small, just above a whisper, her bravery seemed to be at lost with the prince, and she only wanted to slink away behind the shrubbery and large flowers that bloomed all around her.

"Well, because you said you liked nature and art. Maybe you could use this as inspiration if you wanted," Loki almost seemed nervous, and it only made her laugh, giggling at his reaction.

"It's beautiful! So much color! Where are we exactly? From the palace?" She asked, staring up at the sky, she could only see the shroud of fog floating above their heads.

"The palace is just above these trees over the hedge. You can't really see it from here, but I would like to bring you farther back, there's something else I want to show you," he smiled, reaching his hand out for her to take. She stared at it, her mind deciding once again whether or not to take it, but she did, smiling at him the entire time. He ran off, pulling her alongside her, reaching the far depths of the mysterious over the hedge haven. All around them the forest seemed to take on a more mystical natural form, the trees wrapping around in such grace, vines growing from their roots and up into the tall trees, the grass below them was untouched, glistening and glowing in the different shades and hues of the light reflected above.

The flowers that covered the ground around them, making a distinct path, were in a vast array of colors. Some looped around others, some large some small, some multi-color, some petals that sagged, some were small, some moved and grew smaller as you got closer and bigger as you walked away. Her eyes widened in shock, trying to memorize all that was here, there was just so much to see that it looked so surreal.

Loki peered over his shoulder to watch her gazing at his fortress, his hiding place, his haven of peace away from the futuristic Asgard. The paths weaved in and out, the flowers beside them guiding them further and further into the forest until the shrubbery became too dense for them to clearly walkthrough, but Loki knew the way, he pushed them through, with easy grace, holding tightly to her hand, a smile that would not leave his face as he showed her his place.

Soon he had to use his magic to push shrubs away, clearing their path, and then finally they made it to a large opening. This seemed to be on the other side of Asgard, far away from the palace and civilization. The sounds of people far in the distance were indistinguishable from the sound of a waterfall that cascaded off of a mountain, the mountain reaching high into the heavens. The steam that rose from the bottom of the waterfall into a small lake, the water clear and sparkling in the light that streamed from high above, the steam reflecting its waters allowing the whole area to sparkle.

"At night, it lights up, the plants and trees, they all glow an array of colors! The bottom of the lake, that to glows, even brighter when you stand on it!" Loki was beside himself, and it only made her laugh again, but her mouth as agape, making it sound off. Her eyes wandered and searched all around, trying to etch in her mind what she saw, it was, perhaps the most beautiful sight she had ever seen of Asgard. "Come, we must head back now. It will be getting late soon; the walk back will be a bit longer."

She almost scowled at him, she wanted to stay longer, and she wanted to stay until the night to endure the glowing aura of nature, to etch that into her mind as well. For now, she could only dream of it, and she would go home and paint up all that she could imagine, all that she had already seen. She nodded her head at him finally, allowing him to lead her through the forest, leaving behind the haven that had captured her heart.

They walked in relative silence once again, night now descending upon them, the sun slowly falling in the distance, they decided they would run to get back to the entrance so their absence would not be noticed. Finally, they made it back to the entrance of the library, standing in front of the large building and the people rushing out silently. The two looked at each other slowly until she finally smiled and squeezed his hand.

"Thank you. For everything," she told him, smiling brightly again, noticing the small blush that formed on his face.

"I'll meet you here tomorrow when you are finished with school," he finally was able to choke out.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world!" She giggled again, his smile forming on his face again. "Goodbye Loki." She squeezed his hand lightly and then let go, walking away from him and began her skip back to her home. Loki stood dumbfounded, for the first time in a long time; he had enjoyed his day, a smile on his face, and a complete loss for words.

* * *

"Why are you getting home so late?" Her mother scorned the second she had walked into the house. Her momentary bit of happiness washed away as soon as she had walked through the door. What could she say, how could she tell her mother that she had been in a part of the forest, which is forbidden for the most part

"I was preoccupied at the library," in all honesty, that's where she was for a good part of her afternoon, she only spent the few fleeting moments in Loki's haven, but she wasn't about to tell her mother about that.

"Honestly, stop it with your lying! Your father will not appreciate it!" Her mother barked, but she didn't even flinch. To be precise, she was pissed, angered that her mother would bring up her father, more importantly, his rank. It didn't matter who her father was, to her. Politics, however, was a completely different story, and to the rest of Asgard, rank meant everything.

"I'm not lying mother, I promise I'm telling the truth," she pleaded with her mother; she wasn't in the mood to deal with her.

"And what is this interest in books? You haven't cared to pick one up since we had that tutor! You despise reading at school, so why is the library an exception?" Her mother was becoming infuriating.

"I found an interest in a certain subject, the school wasn't providing it for me in their own library," she explained further, she had to think quickly on the subject. She hated everything at school, so anything at this point was going to surprise her mother.

"And what subject might that be?" She was exasperated, irritated just about as much as Sarah was.

"Language," Sarah spat out quickly. Her mother was silent; her breathing was audible from behind her.

"Language? What sparked this?" She was curious, so she had to think quicker.

"I had skipped to the library and found the section on the realms, I wished to know about the other realms," Sarah continued, she sounded convincing enough.

"And just like that, you're interested?" She didn't sound displeased, which was a good sign, but this could still go anyway.

"Of course mother, school is but a waste of time, frivolous activities that occupy my mind for only hours a day before I'm engrossed in something more worthwhile of my time," Sarah spoke calmly, affirming her lie.

"You and your words, you speak as if you are a book!" Her mother laughed, for the first time in a long time. "Very well, you may continue your readings. As long as you are home at a decent time." Her mother was laughing again, at her, she wasn't sure. At least she was free to leave the library for her afternoons.

Later that night, after another silent dinner with her mother, she had escaped into her bedroom. She looked all around, at all her artwork. It seemed like a mess, but it was her mess of art. The artwork was inspired by all the turmoil she felt towards other students at her school, and how she imagined her haven. Color and abstract contrast flittered through her mind whenever she felt distracted.

Now, however, she felt an odd connection towards the haven that he had seen this afternoon. The way the trees and bushes connected through a root system, how the waterfall blended in between the harsh lines, it was a masterpiece worth ogling. Something that should and would be cherished and she would capture it as she saw fit.

She quickly scanned her bedroom for an empty canvas, resorting to searching in her clustered closet for something clean. When she found what she was searching for, she pulled it out, set her isle up, her paints, which scattered all across her desk, was finally able to begin painting.

She drew an outline, one that would remind her of all she saw so she could work the finer details. She then drew out the perspectives, starting from the entrance that she and Loki had come from, and shadowed certain areas.

All the while of painting, all thought of troubles escaped her mind but would come back to her somewhat clouding her concentration. She couldn't get out of her head of what she was to endure the next day at school. Sure enough, Amund would make her life even more miserable, just silently asking her to do something to him about it.

Of course, she would not. She would never dare, she knew what her mother would do to her if she had. Her father, though stubborn and not to her liking, was still important. If she disgraced her family, they would intrude in her life in ways she didn't want them to. Her art was everything to her.

Her strokes became anguished, screaming of issues that needed to be taken care of. She wouldn't be able to do anything, though, not until the morrow. All she could do now was concentrate on her painting, worriedly sleep the night away and confront the problem head-on by the time school started.

* * *

She walked to school with feet of lead. She couldn't even begin to fathom all the horrible things that Amund was going to do to her. She would be teased, she knew that much, and she would almost want to regret having Loki fight her battle. She wouldn't. Loki saved her life, and for that, she would be forever grateful.

The walk from her house to the school wasn't a terribly long one, but she happened to be the farthest one away from the school. She liked it that way anyway, most kids didn't make it to the end of the block, her father was more important than most others.

She made it to the end of the brick and stone road and turned left out onto the crowding streets of the East Market. This early in the morning, most were only gathering their merchandise and slowly making their way out to make sales. She enjoyed this time alone, passing by sellers, buying small ounces of bread to fill her until her lunch.

The stone walkway soon turned into a soft mud, squishing below her feet. She pulled her dress up a little and picked up her pace. At this rate, she was going to be late for school. Taking a right then another left she saw her school in the distance. She ran but slowed her pace as she entered the school.

The school was for nobles. Not just the typical immortal, fancy prancy ones, but the real prominent ones. Such as Sarah herself, this school was specifically for the higher class nobles. Most of the kids that walked around her, dressed nicely and clean, had parents that talked and walked among even the royals. These children, especially the girls, had the opportunity to marry the crowned prince, Thor.

Though Thor was a manly sigh indeed, even at his young of an age, he was arrogant, as most boys were her age, but he had an air about him that didn't seem to pique her interest whatsoever. Thor was rash, and when he visited the school for a particular mentor, she could see his brash judgments while he fought, dueled, and even spoke to many of her students. She was never given the opportunity to speak to him. No, she would rather watch from a distance, taking in his form, from all aspects. If she was to live as a noble, she might as well take some interest in her future king.

She didn't truly benefit from these observations, only joining in the gossip that spread around the school. Girls slowly turning into their mothers. Sarah scoffed at this, she would never turn into her mother, she loved her but not as an idol.

Finally, she made it to an open area of the property. She walked to the left side, keeping track of her pace and distance from other students, and walked through the archway to her classroom. She took the seat on the far right in the middle of the rows of benches.

"I see you made it home safely," the all too familiar voice sounded behind her. Amund walked around and sat down on the bench next to her, sitting far too close to her liking.

"Yes, I did," she responded curtly.

"No need to be mean. I am concerned for your wellbeing after all," Amund feigned hurt.

"I was merely giving you affirmation," she spat, trying to keep herself together to save them a scene. He scowled at her and seemed as if he was going to do something, but the teacher walked in calling for the class to start.

This was a new year. Anything could happen, and much could change, if she was willing. She was, and she was excited to get back into her studies, as long as she could keep herself occupied from Amund. She didn't necessarily dislike school so much, as it was the students and some teachers in the past. She would refuse to do work when she felt she should when the teachers were being unfair, or if the students were being exceptionally irritating.

She kept to herself, not taking the risk of talking to many students. Her new air that surrounded her gave her hope that maybe she could move on. She wouldn't persist that Amund follower her around, despite that their families were tied together, but she wouldn't be too outright rude to him. What happened yesterday in the library wasn't her fault, and she knew he was just waiting for the right moment to strike, to get his revenge.

In class, she learned the basics of their language, then as the hours progressed, got into more detail. When the middle hour finally approached, most students scrambled for the door, making their way to the arena where they would watch the princes' practice or watch fellow students make their mark on Asgard.

Sarah idled her way out of class, missing the large amounts of students still rushing out and making it into the clearing. The field was full of boys and girls milling about, talking to one another, observing each other. Luckily for her, no eyes were on her, which was a good sign. Amund must not have said anything to anyone about what happened yesterday.

She pulled herself together and walked to the other side of the grassy plain to have my usual seclusion away from everyone. She made it over to the tree, happy that it was still unoccupied, sitting down on the soft grass below. She leaned against the trunk of the tree, watching those around her for quite some time before she could hear the signs of someone approaching. Looking down at the shadow, it looked like Amund's.

"I wish to not be bothered," she spoke calmly.

"Well, that's too bad. Amund tells us you caused him some trouble yesterday," Amund's friend, Heathrow snapped.

"If Amund thought of it enough of an issue, he would've come himself," Sarah still didn't look up at him.

"He's busy," Heathrow stood down and picked her up in one swift movement, and then pushing her off to stumble a little ahead of him.

"Please, I didn't do anything! It wasn't me, he's lying to you!" Sarah pleaded, but Heathrow was stubborn and very protective of his friends.

"Where's your friend now? He's not here to protect you, I'm sure that he won't even be there when you meet him at the library again," Heathrow squared himself and prepared to charge when he stopped right in front of her. This time, she couldn't see Loki approaching, and for sure she thought that she was indeed the one that was doing this. Loki was standing behind the tree, his face bruised where Amund had gotten a clear shot of him when he wasn't paying attention. Heathrow squirmed and shook as Amund had before. He was at least glad that Sarah hadn't get attacked again.

"What are you doing? Freak!" Heathrow was pissed, more than Amund had been yesterday and it terrified her, but she couldn't move. She stared wide-eyed and tried backing away, trying to make it seem as if she was in fact not doing any of this, but she had failed, and she was frozen to the spot.

"Stop! Stop! I'm not doing this!" Sarah shrieked, gathering attention from students nearby. It wasn't long before the whole area had frozen and watched the scene fold before them. "Loki! Stop!"

Loki stopped that instant and watched Heathrow fall to the ground in a heap. He was still trembling in pain, curling up into a small little ball. Loki smirked at this but cringed when his face hurt from the action.

Sarah whirled around, trying to find Loki. She rushed over to Heathrow, but he pushed her away as best he could, enabling to get her to fall on the ground.

"I'm sorry! It wasn't me, I swear!" She couldn't help but choke back the sobs that threatened to be released. "Loki! Loki did it!"

"Freak!" Heathrow bellowed, getting up on his knees. "Get away from me!" He was stumbling away, clutching his abdomen.

"I'm sorry," she choked out. This day couldn't have gotten any worse.

Loki stepped out from behind the tree enough for her to see. She looked over and glared at him, and started to walk away when she felt her legs become a lead. She whipped around and stopped to where Loki was standing.

"Don't you dare do that again! Don't you dare try to use magic on me without my permission! Don't you DARE come to me at school!" She just about screamed in his face, but she was smart to keep her voice low enough so no one would hear their conversation.

"He was going to beat you!" Loki defended. "I wasn't about to let him do that."

"Loki, its fine. If he was, then at least it would be done and over with. Now I have him and Amund to deal with!" Sarah hissed.

"I won't let him do that!" Loki raised his voice. If she wasn't so mad at him, she would've appreciated that he was talking freely to her.

"So what? After knowing me for a few days it gives you the right to do that? Loki, you don't need to do that, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!" Sarah seethed, wanting to walk away but she saw a shadow under his eye. Her brows furrowed, but Loki continued.

"You are my only friend. If anyone touched you-" Loki couldn't continue. How come after only fifty years is this happening now? They were too young to talk about defending each other, but here they were, discussing the impossible.

"Loki, don't be so rash. Amund would never hurt me any more than I could. It's only natural for men like him to do that, it's not right, but it must be done," Sarah was cooling down, but anger still flared inside of her.

"It's not right, and it won't happen to you again," Loki persisted.

"Please, Loki. I'm fine, really," Loki seemed unimpressed. "You can't be my guardian all the time! We don't even see each other enough throughout the day," she fought back.

"I'll have you transferred over to my classes if I must. Call my name when you need help, please," Loki pleaded further, his eyes trying to convince her.

"Fine, if it makes you happy," she crossed her arms and looked away. She thought he would leave right then, but he continued to stand there, just watching her as she tried to calm herself down.

"I'm really sorry that I used magic against you. I needed to know that you were okay," Loki continued, his voice much softer now, back to the melodic voice that she remembered from yesterday.

"Just don't do it again, do at least that much for me," she looked back up, and then noticed the shadow under his eye again. "He hit you didn't he?" Loki tensed but didn't say anything. Sure enough, she would find out about this mark, but it would disappear soon enough, at least well enough for him to conceal it from her that afternoon after school.

"Will I see you tonight?" Loki asked.

"We can't meet at the library; they know I go there to meet you. Maybe you could meet me at the trail by the palace walls. By the large tree on the North side," she added.

"I'll find you there," Loki smiled for once and walked away.


End file.
